Stop signal



' Sept. 10,1929. c. L. sToKr-:s-

ysToP SIGNAL Filed March 11 ,1924

INVENTOR.

-mam' Go Goleo Go G0 GO Go Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

'UNITED STATES PATENT IOFFICE.

CHARLES LAWRENCE s'roxns, oF Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

s'ror sIGNAI.

Application lle March 11, 192.4. Serial No. 698,541.

My invention relates to improvements in stop signals for automobileswherein the .sig-

nal will be automatically operated according g to the speed of theengine actuating the automobile.

The principal object of my invention is to utilize the-engine inductionvacuum for operating the stop signal.

A further objectL of my invention is to actuate the signal automaticallyaccording to the Fig. 5 isa transverse sectional View along the linesB-B of Fig.v 2.

Fig. 6 shows the visual signals given by the apparatus. I

` An internal combustion engine 1 has an intake manifold 2 to which isattached a carburetor 3. The carburetor 3 has a control valve 4 and,preferably on the engine side of theva'lve 4, a pipe 5 is attachedto theinterior of the manifold 2 for applyingthe engine induction vacuum tothe interior of a chamber 6 .wherein a piston 22 is slidably placed forreciprocally moving a rack 21. Within the chambr is placed a spring 23for normally returning the piston 22 to al predetermined,

f position`- when the application of engine vacuum through the pipe 5 isstopped,- l The stop signal itself com-prises a barrel or casing 7,which is divided by a partition 19 into two compartments of unequallengths, the l larger of which contains a revolvabl'e cylin- T der 11adapted to be moved to different positions depending on the enginevacuum. One end of the barrel 7 is closed by a c ap -8 and the bther endof the barrel 7 is closed bja cap 9 and after the cylinder 11 has beenin- 5 Referring to the .drawings in which the' serted in the barrel 7,caps 8 and 9 are placed x in position andy securely held, with respectto the barrel 7, by a rod 14'which passes through the center of thebarrel 7 and the cylinder 11. The cylinder 11 is revolvably held on therod I 14 by collars 12 and 13 and on the collar 13 is v55 fixe .a pinipn20, the teeth of which are adapted to mesh Withthe teeth of rack 21. i.v The rod 14 is held at one end against the collar 13 y'by a washer 15and a pin 16 and at other end is adj ustably tightened to hold the lsignal together by lock-'nuts 17 and 18 placed on the inside and outsideof cap 8 respectively.

The barrel 7 is preferably made of metallic tubing which is solidcircumferentially eX- cept as regards -a'blank'portion as illustrated 65i 1n Fig. 5, which blank portion is placed in a -posltion'at the rear\ofan automobile to be visible 'to automobilesor vehicles following thesame so that the different signals' to be ts'hown by the revolvingcylinder 11 may be Z0 y visible therethrough. The cylinder 11 is f madeoffmetal with substantially solid'ends which are joined together withthe strips 33, 36 and 37 thus providing blank spaces 34 and `35 betweenthe' strips for ,the insertion of Y75.

the requiredv signals and these insertions are generally made ofl sometransparent, or colored, material on which outstanding signs or legendsare placed such are shown in Fig-.6. l l

In the` partition- 10 is placed an orifice 38 and inone end of thecylinder 11 is cut a slot V39vin order that a wire 24 lmay be conductedlY therethrough from a battery V25 the terminal. of which is grounded at26.4 y.The wire 24 is 85 broken by a switch 27 and connec-ted therefromto a wire'28 which is grounded at 32 and. connected to Wire 28 in seriesare two electric light bulbs 29 and 31 placed in the interior ofcompartment 30 and the cylinder 11 respec- 90 tively. The compartment 30is closed by a red glass and the combination of the red glass and thelamp 29 constitutes thel tail-V lightof the automobile on which thebarrel 7 is mounted but the closing ofgswitch -27 95 lights both thelamps 29 and 31.

The operation is as follows Should the engine 1 be at rest, the positionof the cylinder 11 is as shown in Fig. 5 wherein no signal is showing tooutside view on ac`- count of the metal blank 33 which effectuallyblinds the opening inV the barrel 7 Upon starting the engine 1, and atidling speeds, the' highest vacuum willY prevail in the manifold 2 andthe same is applied through the pipe 5 to the interior of the chamber 6whereon the piston 22 will be drawnto its inner limit thus causing therack 21 to revolve the pinion 20 and thereby the cylinder .11. In thismanner,"

applied to the'chamber 6 from the manifold 2 through the pipe 5'.

j I claim lIn a motor vehicle provided with an internal combustionengine provided with a throttle, a signal device on said vehicle,said'device comprising a casing, a member movably mounted in said casingand containing different legends, and means responsive to the movementof saidthrottle for displaying the different legends, one classoflegends being shown when the suction is below a predetermined minimumand another class of legends being shown when it is above said' minimum.Signed at Wilmington, in the county of Los Angeles, and State ofCalifornia, this 4th day of March, A. D. 1924. i

CHARLES LAWRENCE sToKEs.

inder 11 to revolve a predetermined distance in the opposite directiondescribed. In this manner the spaces are exposed to view 90 through theopening in the barrel 7 at all periods oflengine operation except thatof the full closure of the valve 4 when the engine 1 is idling. Thespaces 35 are preferably closed bv a transparency on which amultiplicity of words .Go are placed in order that the signal Go willheshown to the public at all periods of throttle opening exceptl that ofthe idling` position.

100* hich contains the same, is governed by the opening and closing ofthe valve 4 and at all speeds except that of idling. a'greater or lessdegree of vacuum will prevail in the manifold 105 2 so that the openingand closing of the valve 4 can be so arranged with respect to the inwardand outward movement of the piston 22 th at'the revolving of thecylinder 11 to show different signals will 'adequately protect the Thespeed of theengine 1` and the vehicle 110 automobile on which the barrel7 is placed by warning all vehicles following they same.

For insta.nce,'.when the valve 4 is closed for idling conditions, avacuum of about 22 inches of mecury will prevail in the manifold 2 but'115 on a slight opening of the valve 4. the vacuum in the manifold 2will drop rapidly to about 18 inches, or less,` of mercury. Thereforethe space 34, containing the signal Slo will be relatively small ascompared with the spaces 120 35 containing the signal Go. In this mannerupon any acceleration, the signal Go will be shown and upon any suddendeceleration, the signal Slo will be shown v Owing tol the Simplicity ofthe movingk 125 parts and the construction thereof, my apparatusrequires substantially no attention after being installed, the samebeing automatically governed and. operated by the speed of the vehicleto which it is attached, the speed being 130 a' function of the engineinductionk vacuuml

